4 Things That Repel Carpet Beetles

Carpet beetles will ruin your cute, expensive carpet and every other furry material they find.

How they find their way into the home remains a mystery, but when they do, they come in their numbers.

Regardless of how they came in, you can’t afford to share your home with them.

In the next few headings, we will walk you through a few things that repel them.

In the sections below, we will discuss carpet beetle in detail. We will cover what they look like, how they get into houses, and some things they dislike.

To wrap up the discussion, we will consider answering frequently asked questions about these critters.

What Do Carpet Beetles Look Like?

Carpet beetles are usually about 2-5 mm in size with an oval shape.

They have short antennae and mandibles for biting and chewing. They also have multicolored wings (white, dark-brown, etc.).

The above description befits adult carpet beetles, which also have wings that they fly with.

At the larvae stage, carpet beetles look golden and have furs around them. You can say they’d look like hairy caterpillars.

How Do Carpet Beetles Get Into the House?

Carpet beetles can enter your home when you open the door and windows. If your doors and windows are always open, you can expect some carpet beetles to fly in.

Other possible entry points are chimneys, vents, cracked walls, and ceilings. Carpet beetles are tiny and can fly through the smallest crack/hole.

A dirty boot from the garden can bring them into the house. These beetles have a thing for plant nectar and can attach themselves to plants or your garden boots.

Walking into the house with that boot and harvested flowers is a one-way ticket into the house for them. You can keep your boot outside and wash them later.

How Can You Detect the Presence of Carpet Beetles?

One way to detect carpet beetles is the presence of holes or stains in your carpet, clothes, garden plants, and furniture.

Secondly, you can find liters of their shed skin after molting.

Now, you’ve got the basics of carpet beetles. So, let’s discuss how to keep them out.

4 Things That Repel Carpet Beetles

Several items will do an excellent job in deterring carpet beetle, but here are our four top picks:

1. Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar and white vinegar are effective carpet beetle repellents. Carpet beetles hate the smell of vinegar and would leave any environment that reeks of vinegar.

Although vinegar doesn’t kill adult carpet beetles, it destroys their larvae. Adult carpet beetles have a hard exoskeleton that protects them from vinegar, but the smell of vinegar repels them.

Make a vinegar solution by adding hot water and vinegar to a spray bottle. Shake the mixture well, and spray around infested areas.

2. Essential Oils

Some essential oils deter carpet beetles, and their smell repels carpet beetles. These oils include; peppermint oil, neem oil, eucalyptus oil, clove oil, and cedarwood oil.

Clove oil, for instance, disrupts the growth processes of carpet beetles and reduces their life span. You can use clove oil for general fumigation around your home, leaving behind a pleasing scent.

Apply these oils by mixing them with water in a spray can then spray around infested areas. These oils deter carpet beetles and give your home an appealing scent.

3. Boric Acid or Diatomaceous Earth

Boric acid is one repellant that is effective against most critters, and its smell and effect warn the beetles of danger. It would be best to keep one at home because they can come in handy.

As an antibacterial and antifungal substance, boric acid serves many purposes in woodwork, body Infections, and pest control. As a pest control agent, boric acid contains enough properties to repel critters and is easy to use.

Mix the powder with water and stir till it dissolves. Pour the mixture into a spray can and spray in infested areas. You may want to sprinkle the powder directly and spread it evenly on carpets. Using a spray may stain your carpet or make it wet.

You can apply the powder, let it sit in for a while, and then use a vacuum cleaner to clean it up. Boric acid may be dangerous to your pets, so you can keep them off the cleaned area and bring them back after some time.

Diatomaceous earth (DE) is another substance that repels carpet beetles. It is a natural powder on the earth’s surface, composed of fossils and algae. It is toxic to insects and pets and kills pets instantly upon contact.

You can sprinkle it around your walls, room edges, carpet, and furniture for the best results. Also, ensure that you purchase a food-grade DE that won’t be toxic to you and your pets.

4. Insecticides

When all these repellents fail, insecticides will not.

Insecticides are potent in repelling carpet beetles because they are toxic to the beetles. They would most likely avoid your home when they sense an insecticide.

You can get a powered Insecticide ( or a fogger), an insecticide spray, or glue. The glue is most effective when you place a bait in it and leave it open.

There are also pest traps specifically built to keep and repel carpet beetles.

Conclusion

Are you still delaying picking up one of these repellants? Think about your beautiful woolen dresses, rugs, and furniture.

Carpet beetles may not bite you or give you diseases, but they can cause a lot of mess.

Try out any of the methods mentioned in this article and enjoy a carpet free of beetles.